their own good. Do you need to get that?” she said, gesturing toward his pocket with her head.
“No, please continue,” he insisted.
“Men that think the world revolves around them. Men that think they can simply smile, lie, buy or flirt their way out of doing the right thing. Men like that—” Mia mirrored his tilted head “—don’t care about anything or anyone but themselves, and they certainly don’t have time for a bunch of kids they don’t know whose families can’t afford to buy their child’s favorite sports player’s overpriced shoes that they had made overseas for three dollars.”
“Wow.” Keylan circled Mia, coming to stand behind her. He leaned forward, ignoring the sweet scent of vanilla radiating from her petite body and the rise and fall of her breasts making his crotch suddenly uncomfortable, and spoke softly. “Good thing I’m not one of those men.”
“We’ll see,” she said, taking a step forward and turning to face him. Keylan’s phone buzzed again. “You sure you don’t need to get that?”
Probably. However, I won’t give you the satisfaction. “No, I’m good. When and where do we start?”
“If you follow me to the office, we can go over the schedule.”
“After you.”
Mia turned and Keylan couldn’t help but admire her firm backside as his body reacted instantly. Calm down, boy...not just yet.
“Did you say something?” Mia asked and stopped, looking over her shoulders.
Did I say that out loud? “No, but what’s with the paint?”
Mia smirked. “We were painting one of the smaller rooms. It got...messy.”
“I guess you weren’t wearing those tennis shoes.”
“Nope, socks.” Mia started back toward her office.
“Wait. Why were you painting a room? I can’t believe my aunt wouldn’t hire someone to handle that for you.”
Mia laughed and the sound sent a strange feeling throughout his body. “It was more of a fun activity for the kids than a real painting job, but you’re right, your aunt wouldn’t have allowed such a thing to happen.”
“Now, that I can believe.” Keylan scanned the halls as they proceeded. “Some things never change.”
“Pardon me?”
“Thanksgiving was last week and this place is already decked out like Santa’s workshop, with Christmas still several weeks away. The Christmas tree at the front entrance is beautiful, by the way. I love all the kids’ ornaments on it.”
“Yes, the decorators were here first thing Friday morning.” Mia visibly forced a smile. “I’m just glad they used the stuff the kids made. They would have been very disappointed.”
* * *
Mia could feel Keylan’s eyes on her as they made their way down the quite long hall. She couldn’t understand how such an arrogant man, king of the playboys and known as an aggressive player on the basketball court, could have her body responding in a way it hadn’t in years. So what if he was tall, with a sun-kissed tan, and handsome beyond reason? Why had her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, and why had the sudden ache and weight of her breasts made Mia think she was wearing the wrong size bra?
It had been years since twenty-six-year-old Mia had been even remotely attracted to anyone. It wasn’t as if she didn’t like men; it was just that dating and sex wasn’t a priority of the mother to a four-year-old boy with Down syndrome. Mia hated the idea that it was Keylan that had awakened her dormant and sexually deprived body. To make things worse, she’d basically insulted her boss’s nephew to his face. Nice going, Mia.
Mia led Keylan into a midsize office several doors down from the gym. An oak desk with a salt finish sat on the right side of the room across from a large bay window that looked out over the playground. A dry-erase calendar on the wall behind Mia’s desk outlined the year-long activities that were in several different stages of planning.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Kingsley,” she said, taking a seat behind her desk.
The left wall of custom shelves was filled with a few personal photos and years of memorabilia from the many events and activities she’d conducted, along with awards she’d received during her tenure. “It’s Keylan, or KJ, if you prefer,” he said, admiring all the objects on her shelves. “How long have you worked for my family?”
“Almost five years,” she replied to his back, trying to ignore the way his perfectly cut suit draped his Greek-god-like physical form.
“I can’t believe we haven’t met before, especially since you’re the one who organized the annual three-on-three basketball tournaments, the charity bowling and the Holiday Toys for Tots drive. Those are our three biggest charity events.”
“I started right after you were drafted into the NBA. How do you know that I was the one who organized those events?” she asked, her forehead creased.
Keylan turned toward her, pointing at the awards she’d received from both the mayor of Houston and several city council members. “It says so right here.”
“Oh...yeah, well, I’m usually working the events, which means I’m too busy to enjoy them.” Mia shook her mouse to wake up her computer so she could check her emails. “If you can direct your attention to the whiteboard, we can see what we can do to get you the hours you need.”
Keylan folded his six-foot-five-inch frame and took a seat in one of the oval, white leather chairs in front of her desk. “Why weren’t you at last year’s toy drive event?”
“How do you know I wasn’t?”
“Because I was there and I would have remembered you.” He smiled, showing off a perfect set of white teeth. “Plus, my mother and aunt personally thanked everyone there for all their hard work. So...why weren’t you there?”
“I only have to organize the toy drive. I’m not required to work it. Plus, I had other plans. Besides, I’m not a big fan of all the pomp and circumstance the holiday brings.”
Keylan sat forward. “What? You don’t like all the decorations, the lights, the parties, all those presents? Or is it a religious thing for you?”
“I take it you do.”
“Of course.”
“No, it’s not a religious thing,” she replied, shaking her head. “I think celebrating Christmas is fine—it’s just not my favorite time of year,” she explained.
“There’s got to be a story there,” he concluded.
“There isn’t, and my assistant, Sandra, prefers to work that particular event.”
“You call me, boss lady?” Sandra asked as she entered the room wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt with the words Kingsley Foundation printed in large red letters across it. She came to a quick stop after catching sight of Keylan.
“No. But since you’re here...Sandra White, this is—”
“KJ. I know who he is,” she replied, flipping her sandy-blond hair off her shoulder. Sandra looked at Mia as though she had insulted her intelligence.
“Pleased to meet you,” Keylan said, standing and offering his hand.
“Nice to meet you, too.” Sandra accepted his hand, giving it a slow shake while smiling and batting her green eyes.
Mia’s phone rang as she stood, watching Sandra’s embarrassing display of amorous behavior.
“No worries, I’ll get the phone.” Mia rolled her eyes as she picked up the receiver. “Mia Ramirez.”
Sandra slowly withdrew her hand and smiled. “Can I get you anything, KJ? Coffee, tea, soda, my